Incursion - Prologue
The air was still. Then, a soft wind blew across the pier, over the dark water that was reflecting the orange sunrise, and into the face of an old man, his eyes closed, enjoying the breeze. The wind ceased. He opened his bright, blue eyes, full of wisdom and who knows what else, to see a young man coming across the beach, hands in his pockets. The old man frowned, and shifted from one buttock onto another in his chair, once again noticing the cup of coffee in front of him. He put a hand around the cup; cold. Nevertheless, the old man took a sip of coffee, and sat back, waiting for his acquaintance. He waved at a couple at another table. The young man, looking barely out of university, pulled the other chair back and sat down heavily on it. “Good morning,” he said simply in his tired voice. The old man said nothing, first deciding to take another sip of coffee. After he put the cup down, he looked the young man in the eyes. “I didn’t call you here today.” “I called you.” “And I ignored it,” the old man said, reaching for a biscuit. “You weren’t using proper channels.” “I had no choice.” Again, the old man gave him silence. He bit into his biscuit, and took a moment to savour the buttery, nutty taste that filled his mouth. He chewed. He swallowed. “I don’t want to do this anymore.” The old man’s fingers twitched, and the biscuit dropped onto his lap. He raised an eyebrow at the young man. “Please, I can’t-” “Alex,” he said slowly, picking up the biscuit and placing it on the saucer of his coffee cup. “Listen to me, Alex.” He leaned forwards. “I strongly suggest you reconsider this.” The young man, Alex, looked down at the table in front of him. The wind had picked up speed again, and blew loose strands of his gelled hair in weird directions. “You cannot quit now, alex. Not while...not while you have such a large bounty on your head.” “I’ll turn myself in,” Alex whispered. “You’re not going to do that. They probably aren’t going to let you live.” Alex looked up,mouth locked in a grimace. “I can take them. The others...they can go wherever they want.” “They’ll never be safe. Is that really what you want?” The old man sipped his coffee for the third time. He could see it in Alex’s eyes. The answer was before him. “N-no.” “Then you need to continue what you’re doing. For their sake, if you want to see it that way.” Alex was quiet, and he looked down again. The old man let a smile play across his pursed lips. He was getting there. “It’s just two more jobs. I promise.” “You promise?” “I promise.” Silence. “I’ll do it,” Alex said. “On one condition.” “And that condition will be…?” Alex swallowed loudly. “We all get clean slates. New names, new records, new everything. We all disappear, understand?” “I can do that. But Hit-” “Hitchner is dead.” The old man almost fell off his chair. So Hitchner was dead. That was one man down. He wondered if Alex would find a replacement. “They shot him. You know, in the back, while he was running.” Alex’s fists were clenched on the tabletop. “The cowards.” “You’ll get your retribution.” “Yes. Yes, I will. I’ll kill every last one of them.” The old man nodded. It was not as if he wanted to egg Alex on, but what had to be done had to be done. “Now, are you ready for your assignment?” Alex paused. “No, not yet. I need a few more days to...to get ready.” “Naturally. I’ll call you when you’re ready.” The young man nodded, and then rose to his full height, pushing his chair back. The old man watched him walk away. So much to learn, he thought, yet so little time. He removed the phone from the inside of his coat and pressed the speed dial button. There was static, and then breathing. “Operation is a go,” he said. The old man sipped his cup of tea as a black van pulled up to Alex, the back doors opening, a small dart containing a powerful sedative shot into his neck. He was dragged limply away into the van. His phone rang, and he picked it up. “Did you get the others?” “Already done, sir.” “Excellent. Have a good day.” “Yes, sir.”